1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to manufacturing composite structures. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for laying up a number of plies of composite material on a number of molds.
2. Background
Aircraft are being designed and manufactured with greater and greater percentages of composite materials. Composite materials are used in aircraft to decrease the weight of the aircraft. This decreased weight improves performance features such as payload capacities and fuel efficiencies. Further, composite materials provide longer service life for various components in an aircraft.
Composite materials are tough, lightweight materials created by combining two or more functional components. For example, a composite material may include reinforcing fibers bound in polymer resin matrix. The fibers may be unidirectional or may take the form of a woven cloth or fabric.
In manufacturing composite parts, layers of composite material are typically laid up on a tool. The layers may be comprised of fibers in sheets. These sheets may take the form of fabrics, tape, tows, or other suitable forms. In some cases, resin may be infused or preimpregnated into the sheets. These types of sheets are commonly referred to as prepreg.
There are currently several techniques for laying up and compacting composite prepreg plies on a tool. Composite plies may be laid up using automated fiber placement machines or tape laminating machines, but these machines are large, expensive and require intricate programming and significant validation. Further, these machines progressively lay-up plies using tape or fiber with a smaller width than the completed ply. In other words, automated fiber placement machines or tape laminating machines lay up individual tape or fiber portions to form a ply. Currently, laying up whole prepreg sheets or plies is accomplished by hand layup. Hand layup of plies is possible, but time-consuming, labor intensive, and may be inaccurate and/or inconsistent.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method and apparatus that automates the process of laying up composite plies. There is also a need for a method and apparatus of the type mentioned above that minimizes or eliminates the need for human intervention and supervision, while providing consistent and accurate ply placement.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus that take into account at least some of the issues discussed above, as well as other possible issues. For example, it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus that take into account technical problems that occur with at least one of the manual layup of composite parts or currently used composite part layup systems.